Back Then
by WishFlower
Summary: Justin and Alex haven't spoken in five years, and when they finally do get in touch, she's not the way he remembers her.
1. Prologue

**Back Then**

**A/N Summary: Justin hasn't seen Alex for five years, not since the competition. And when he does see her, she's not what he remembers. Jalex. I don't own anything. **

**Prologue:**

Justin came downstairs to get some milk. It was after midnight and he didn't expect anyone to be up. But he saw a candle on the terrace burning so he went to check it out.

It was Alex out there with one of her vanilla scented candles that she loved. She was curled up on one of the reclining chairs under a multi-coloured blanket that their grandma had knitted. A portable radio was playing Beethoven's Moonlit Sonata, which Justin knew Alex only listened to when she was really upset.

"Hey." She whispered when she saw him standing there.

"Hi." He whispered back.

Today was Max's eighteenth birthday so today was their wizard competition. Surprisingly, Max had won. Alex was really taking it hard.

"Are you okay?" Justin said to her quietly.

She was silent for a long time before whispering, "No." Her bottom lip trembled and she ducked her head as the tears started to over flow from her red eyes.

"Oh, Alex." Justin said compassionately. He sat down on the chair and pulled her onto his lap. He leaned back against the back of the recliner and Alex cried into his shoulder, the blanket protecting them both. He stroked her glossy dark hair as she sobbed for the first time in about fifteen years.

"You'll be okay, Alex." He said to her.

She lifted her head from his shoulder and glared at him angrily, "No, I won't! I'm nothing without my magic! I thought I'd win like the last time, but I didn't! And now I feel… I feel so empty! Like all the warmth of body has been taken away! Like – like there was a light burning inside me, but someone turned it off! I feel dark inside, Justin. Dark and cold."

"I feel that too. I also felt it when you won the last time. It's the absence of our magic. But we'll be okay. I mean, Max will do great things with our magic. He loves it. He will take good care of it." Justin said to comfort his little sister.

"I'm scared Justin. What am I going to do now that I don't have my magic?" Alex said to him as she looked up at him with her vulnerable tawny eyes.

Justin felt like crying himself when he looked into her eyes. He could handle the physical pain of losing his magic, but when he saw Alex looking so scared, he felt scared as well. Alex was the strongest person he knew, and when she was sad, he knew he would do anything to protect her.

"Listen to me, Alex. You're much more than just a wizard. You're clever and funny and brave and artistic. Magic defines one part of you. But you don't need it to be the same person you were yesterday." Justin hugged her tighter, tight enough to feel her heartbeat against his chest.

"Thank you, Justin." Alex said quietly.

He just held her close for a few minutes in silence until she looked up into his eyes. Suddenly, he was aware of the fact that their noses were almost touching, the fact that she was laying on top of him, the fact that he could taste her breath. His breath caught in his throat when his sterling eyes met her cinnamon ones. Her lips were coming closer and closer and he knew if he didn't stop this right now, he would do something he would regret. Her lips just grazed his when he shoved her off him. Maybe a little too hard, she landed on the ground with a crash.

"Why the hell did you just do that?" She shouted angrily.

"You know why!" He said back.

"No, I really don't!" She said still on the ground.

He lowered his voice before saying, "You were about to kiss me!"

She stood up and glared at him, her cheeks turning crimson. "I wasn't! I would never do that!"

"You did! We're siblings, Alex." He felt a little bit like throwing up. He just kissed his sister. It was short, but her lips definitely touched his. He felt sick to his stomach. He was so going to Hell; he just did the most impure thing ever. He looked at her again, and tried to keep the disgust out of his eyes.

"I know! God, just leave me alone!" She screamed.

She turned around and crossed her arms. Justin reached out for her, but she turned and smacked his hand away.

"Go away!" She shouted.

"Hey!" A neighbour leaned out of their window and shouted. "Shut up!"

"Screw you!" Alex shouted back.

Justin saw the light in the kitchen flick on and Jerry sleepily walk out onto the terrace, "It's midnight, guys. Go back to sleep."

His sleepy eyes widened when he took in the scene. Alex and Justin were on separate sides of the terrace, Alex with tears in her eyes and Justin reaching out for her.

"What's going on? Are you guys fighting about the competition?" He asked.

"No! Justin, I never want to see you again! I hate you!" Alex screamed and ran back inside. Jerry followed looking confused and Justin stood alone in the night air, wishing somewhere deep inside him that he had done things differently.

**Please review and comment. I'll post the next chapter as soon as I can. **


	2. Chapter One

**A/N okay here is the first chapter, sorry if the prologue was confusing or if i babbled on too much. anyways, please read and i still dont own WOWP.**

**Chapter One:**

"Oh, honey! I'm so glad you called!" Theresa said to her son.

"How are you mom?" Justin said back through the phone.

"I'm fine. You know, I'm managing. Things are just a little.... difficult. It's been really hard to run the restaurant since your father has died. But you said you will be back soon. You are coming back soon, right?" Theresa asked worriedly.

"Yes, mom. I'll be back from my business trip in a week. How's Max doing at Wiz Tech?" Justin asked.

"Oh, he's doing fine! Who knew that he would like teaching so much? He's just a student teacher, but Professor Crumbs is really thinking of promoting him!" Theresa said proudly.

"I have to go now, mom. I have a meeting that starts in fifteen minutes and I'm going to be late. But I'll call you later." Justin said.

"Okay, bye I love you!" Theresa called through the phone.

Justin hung up and hailed a taxi to his meeting. He felt bad for his mother. Of course, he and Max were heartbroken and mournful about their father's heart attack but now their mother was all alone in the apartment and restaurant. And even though Justin lived just a taxi ride away from his mother, and Max visited all the time, it wasn't the same. Theresa had to hire a new cook; a sweet man named Archie and two new waitresses; high school girls named Sarah and Anna. Theresa was very depressed about hiring strangers to work in the family business, but it had to be done.

Justin got to his meeting on time and it went fine. Justin worked at company that worked at developing robotic technology like in appliances or machines. He worked hard for the rest of the day, and when five o'clock came around; he packed up and head for his hotel.

The sun was setting as he drive in a taxi through the streets of Toronto where is business trip was. He was leaning against the window when the taxi was at a stoplight when he saw her. The girl he hadn't seen in five years. The girl who stormed out of the house when she was twenty-one, the night of the competition. The girl he still thought about everyday. Alex Russo.

"Thank you but I'm getting out here!" Justin said to the taxi driver, he threw the appropriate amount of money at him and hopped out of the car. He ran across the street ducking around cars all the while calling her name.

"Alex! Hey, Alex!" Justin shouted as he chased after her. She was walking out of a building with two other women.

He skidded to a stop in front of her.

"Hi." He said breathlessly. Up close, he could see how much she had changed. Her long, curly hair was cut short in a professional bob. Her face was colder and more tired looking. And she was actually wearing a suit. A real suit with a matching jacket and high heels.

She didn't say anything at first, though her friends were looking at him with interest.

When she did speak she said, "Hello." Her voice was ice cold and so was her glare.

"It's been a really long time. How have you been?" He asked. He would have liked to have said more, but couldn't with her friends listening in.

"Fine."

The silence was awkward and stretched on way too long.

"Well, it looks like you guys have some catching up to do. I'll see you later, Allie." One girl said and left, the other waved and followed after her.

"Do you want to have dinner or something?" Justin asked Alex.

"No." She snapped then walked away.

"Wait - what do you mean 'no'? I haven't seen you in _five years! _I want to know how your doing!" Justin exclaimed.

"I was doing fine until you showed up!" She started to leave again but Justin grabbed her arm.

"No! We need to talk! So much has changed that you weren't around for! Did you know that Max is working at Wiz Tech? Or that mom is depressed? Or that dad is _dead?" _Justin said quickly.

"Dad's dead?" Alex asked quietly.

Justin nodded stiffly.

She sighed, "Fine then. Let's go to my place. I have an apartment not far from here."

She led him back to her little apartment and Justin was surprised at how empty it was. There was the bare minimum in furniture and no pictures or artwork of any kind.

"Where are all your paintings?" Justin asked.

"I don't paint anymore." Alex said quietly. And not for the first time this evening, Justin wanted to sweep his little sister up in a hug.

She sat stiffly on the couch like a statue and Justin sat across from her on a chair.

"Tell me how dad died." Alex requested quietly.

"He had a heart attack last year. We tried to contact you, but we couldn't find you." Justin said.

Alex covered her face with her hands. Justin could hear her muffled tears. He reached out and touched her shoulder, but she slapped his hand away incredibly fast. Justin was shocked. Alex got annoyed and irritated at him frequently, but she had never looked at him like she absolutely detested him, which was the look on her face now.

"Why are you acting this way?" He asked.

"Like you don't know!" She hissed.

"I really have no idea what you're talking about!" Justin said, completely bewildered.

"The wizard competition! The terrace! You can figure the rest out!" She whispered venomously.

His eyes widened and he blushed when he remembered the night she was talking about.

He looked at his feet when he said, "Alex, it's over. It happened a long time ago. I've moved on and so have you. So much has happened since then."

"You're right. We've both forgotten that night, so I think we're done talking." She said coldly.

"Alex!" Justin cried.

"I don't want to be called Alex anymore, Justin. Everyone just calls me Allie." She said quietly.

Justin looked at his little sister who was trying so hard to appear cold and untouched but Justin could see cracks in her shield. She was hurting desperately inside, and it was because of him. He felt his heart brake open again. She was his little sister.

"Tell me about your job!" He blurted out.

She glanced at him and said, "I work at a travel agency called Escape. We specialize in vacations to the Caribbean."

"Oh, that's cool. Have you ever heard of the company 'Think Big'? That's where I work." He said.

He continued telling her about his job, and little by little, she began to warm up to him. She reminded him of the stray cat he found when he was just a kid. He would feed the cat every day and eventually the cat aloud him to come close enough to pet him. Everything was going great until he got the call.

His eyes lit up when he saw the name on the screen. "Excuse me." He said, "I have to take this."

She nodded and took a sip of her tea that she had poured for the both of them.

"Hi, Chelsea! How are you? Are you feeling better?" He said sweetly to his fiancé.

"Yes, I no longer have a fever which is good. When are you coming back to New York?" Chelsea asked.

"In about a week. I really miss you." Justin said honestly.

"I miss you too. I got my dress the other day; you're going to love it! Oh, I have to go. My sister is on the other line." She said.

"Okay, I'll talk to you later. Bye." Justin said.

"Love you!"

"Love you too."

Justin hung up the phone and looked over at Alex. She was staring at the phone in shock. "Who was that?" She asked.

Justin took a breath before saying, "My fiancé, Chelsea."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

Awkward.

They avoided each other's gaze for a few minutes before Justin said, "I better go, it's pretty late."

"Yeah, alright. Bye." Alex said.

It might have just been Justin's imagination, but he was pretty sure she practically shoved him out the door.

She slammed the door after him and the gold '3G' on her door faced him. His stomach felt strange, like butterflies were flying in it. But not nervous butterflies, regret butterflies. If there were such a thing.

**A/N thanks for reading please review and tell me what you think! i'll formally introduce chelsea, archie, anna and sarah in upcoming chapters. **

**- Wish **


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N I hope everyone likes my story so far! and i still dont own anything but a faulty laptop. **

**Chapter Two:**

"Justin!" A young man shouted at his distracted friend.

"Huh, what? Sorry, Nick, I wasn't paying attention." Justin said sheepishly.

"Yeah, I know. That's the fifth time I've called your name. What's gotten into you lately?" Nick asked, annoyed.

"Well..... I ran into my sister last night."

"Oh, the sister you haven't spoken to in years? How'd that go?" Nick asked.

"She's really..... different. She's not like I remember her." Justin said sadly.

"People change. It's been five years. Hey, do you want to go grab a coffee at the Starbucks downstairs? The waitress was checking me out yesterday. Canadian girls are so _hot!" _Nick slapped his buddy on the arm.

Nick and Justin were co-workers at the company, they were on the business trip together. Nick doesn't know about magic or that Alex and Justin kissed. He just knows that Alex ran away five years ago and Justin hasn't seen her since.

They got into line at the Starbucks and waited for their turn. When they got to the counter, there was a pretty blonde woman behind it.

"Can I help you with anything?" The woman said seductively to Nick.

"I can think of a couple things." Nick leaned in and said.

Justin coughed obviously, "Can I get a cappuccino please?"

"I'll have a latte." Nick grumbled and glared at Justin.

"Try to keep things PG-13, Nick. We're in a public restaurant." Justin said.

The waitress came back with their cups. Nick's had a phone number and the girls name on it.

"Tammy." Nick said appreciatively.

Justin rolled his eyes and the two men carried their coffees outside. They walked along the street in the afternoon sun drinking their drinks and discussing their company. The weather was warm and the sun was shining. It was early May and everyone was in the summer spirit.

"Whoa." Nick stopped and said.

"What?" Justin asked.

"Hot girl at twelve o'clock!" Nick said.

"Technically it's 1:07." Justin said, checking his digital watch.

"You know what I mean! She's a babe! Watch me and my sick as* moves." Nick said smoothly and wandered over to the dark haired girl. She was waiting for the light to turn red so she could cross the street. Nick casually stood next to her than turned towards her. Justin was close enough to hear what he said. "Are you a parking ticket? Because you've got _fine _written all over you!"

The girl turned around and said, "That is the worst pick up line ever. And I would never go out with you if my life depended on it."

Her eyes met Justin's and they widened in shock.

"Justin?" She asked.

"Hi, Alex."

"Oh, so you're Alex! Justin's told me so much about you! I'm Nick, by the way. Nick Shaw." Nick did that annoying wink/hair flip thing that he always does when he's trying to pick up a cute girl.

"Well, it was nice to meet you Nick. But I have to go." Alex said curtly. The light was still green so she couldn't go anywhere unless she wanted to get hit by a car.

"Alex, I think we still need to talk." Justin said quietly.

"We talked last night."

"We need to talk more! Do you want to meet for dinner or something?" Justin said.

"Sorry, I already have plans." She said smugly.

The light turned red and all the cars stopped. Everyone walked across the street. Including Alex, she left without a backwards glance.

"Dude, you're sister's hot!" Nick said as they watched Alex cross the street in her cute little skirt suit.

Justin didn't need Nick to tell him his sister was hot. The way the sun danced across her mahogany locks was like magic. Justin felt a little bit funny thinking his sister was hot. It felt like his stomach was swooping down. She was almost out of sight now. Seeing her again so suddenly twice in two days brought back strange, unpleasant feelings. Feelings he has tried very hard to ignore...

"Well, I guess we should get back now. Smith will kill us if we're late again." Nick said cheerfully.

The rest of the day Justin could not stop thinking about Alex. He wanted to see her again, but she refused to even talk to him. He spent the whole night and most of the next morning deciding how to make her talk to him.

"I've got it." He said to Nick when he came in the next morning.

"Got what?" Nick asked.

"I'm going to go into Alex's work today at lunch and ask her in front of everyone if she'll have lunch with me!" Justin exclaimed.

"Uh huh." Nick had his eyes on the pretty young intern and wasn't really listening.

"Thanks for the support." Justin said sarcastically.

"Anytime." Nick said with a wink to the intern.

Justin went to the building he saw Alex come out of and he asked the front desk if Alexandra Russo worked there. They said they couldn't disclose such personal information. Justin nodded and for once in his life, disobeyed a person in authority. When the security guard had his back turned, Justin ran and snuck into the elevator. The building had forty floors and Justin tried each one of them, always asking if Alexandra Russo worked there. He was on the twenty-eighth before someone finally said yes. It was one of the girls Alex was with when he ran into her for the first time. The girl with the straight blonde hair and curious grey eyes.

"Where does Alex Russo work?" Justin asked.

"Over there, by the board room." The woman said gesturing to the far side of the area.

Justin walked over. Alex was sitting at her desk with her back to him. While the other workers desks had pictures and calendars and potted plants on them, Alex's was empty.

Justin cleared his throat and she spun around on the chair.

"Want to have lunch with me?" He asked.

The blonde woman was still standing behind Justin and a few other people had joined her.

"How did you even get in here?" Alex asked sharply.

"I snuck in."

"You snuck in?" Alex repeated, with a glimmer of her old self in her eyes.

"Yup. So, do you want to get something to eat?" He asked again.

"Oh, go on, Allie! Go with him!" Her friend encouraged.

"Why did you even bring him over here, Erica?" Alex snapped.

"Because he's cute!" Erica chirped happily.

Alex rolled her eyes and sighed, "Well, I can't go today because I'm working."

"Not anymore, you're not." Erica said. "It's lunch time! Everyone's going out anyways!"

"Please?" Justin asked quietly. He smiled at her and her grumpy expression softened just a bit.

"Fine. But I get to pick the restaurant." She said grudgingly.

They walked along the streets arguing about where to eat. Alex felt like Italian and Justin felt like Greek food, but when she couldn't find and Italian place, she suddenly decided she wanted Mexican. They passed a place a while back, so they turned around and went there.

They ordered their food and sat down at a table for two. Justin desperately wanted to talk more about their family and what happened five years ago, but he didn't want to freak Alex out, so he let her slowly warm up to him. She was telling him about her work's Christmas party two years previous and how Erica had gotten really drunk and sang The Twelve Days of Christmas standing on a chair with a martini glass on her head. Justin was laughing and she had a familiar smirk on her face. It felt like old times again. Before things had gotten complicated. The elderly couple sitting at the table next to them smiled kindly at Justin and Alex.

The woman said, "Oh, I remember being your age! But then again, at your age I was married with a baby! How long have you two been together?"

Alex's features froze on her face. Clearly, the woman expected an answer and Alex seemed frozen. So Justin said, "We're not together."

The woman nodded apologetically and smiled. Her and her husband finished eating and left. Alex was still silent. Justin tried to draw her back into the easy conversation they had going before, but she wouldn't speak. That lady ruined everything, Justin thought bitterly. Alex has completely shut down. Justin walked her back to her work building and said, "We still haven't spoken about-"

"I'm not in the mood to talk today!" She snapped.

So Justin came back the next day. He snuck into the building just like before and went up to the twenty-eighth floor where she worked and went to her cubicle. He and Erica talked her into going out to lunch with him and they went to the same Mexican restaurant as before. They didn't talk about anything important. Just little things like the crazy old man who lives in the apartment above Alex or Justin's annoying boss. It became their routine. Everyday at lunchtime, Justin would pick Alex up and take her out for lunch at the same restaurant. Slowly, she was beginning to open up again. He wouldn't force talk of the incident on her like he did before; he would let her bring it up herself. Again, Justin was reminded of the street kitten he had found many years ago. You couldn't move to fast or it would be scared away.

"Here you go, Miss Allie and Mr. Justin." The kind owner of the restaurant said as he passed Alex and Justin their usual food choices.

Justin and Alex sat back down at their table and started munching on Ignacio's delicious enchiladas.

"Why do you want people to call you Allie?" Justin asked, breaking the silence.

Alex thought for a minute than said, "I don't know. I guess I just didn't want to be Alex Russo anymore."

"Why not? I like Alex Russo." Justin said sweetly.

Justin was sure it wasn't his imagination when Alex's cheeks turned rose coloured. "I didn't like the person I was, so I reinvented myself. 'Allie' is much different than 'Alex'. 'Allie' is responsible, mature and the type of person who wouldn't kiss her brother."

The forbidden topic was finally spoken aloud.

Justin felt his stomach jump and his hands shake. "What happened that night was-"

"I have to get back to work now." Alex muttered and looked at her watch. "I'll see you later."

**A/N Okay, it's a little shorter than what I had planned but I'll try and make them longer. I also have this new resolution to post a new chapter every day. Or every two days. Please review! **


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N If there's any questions about the story, please just ask. I hope I'm not confusing anyone or boring them. Things start happening in this chapter.**

Justin burst into his sister's office and ran over to her cubicle.

"I just had the greatest idea." He panted. "Why don't you come back to New York with me and visit everyone?"

"What are you doing here, Justin?" Alex asked anxiously. "It's not noon yet!"

"Well, I had to tell you about my idea!"

"I don't know. I'll have to think about it." Alex said slowly.

"What the **hell**is going on here?" A woman said sharply from behind Justin. He turned around to see a tough, tall looking woman glaring at him.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but I had to speak to my sister." Justin explained.

"I'm sorry, as well, Ms. Garland." Alex said timidly. Timid was not Alex's style, and anyone who made her act like that, Justin immediately disliked.

"You should be, Allie Russo. You're lazy, weak and you always have men hanging about the place." Ms. Garland said cruelly.

"Don't talk to my sister that way!" Justin growled.

Alex bowed her head and Justin could see her body trembling slightly.

"You leave this building this instant or I'm calling security." Ms Garland said to Justin.

"I'll see you at lunch, Justin." Alex whispered.

"You won't be taking a lunch break today. You'll be working through it to make up for all the time you've wasted just now." Snapped Ms. Garland.

"Okay." Replied Alex quietly.

"Don't let her push you around, Alex!" Justin said to his little sister. Justin wasn't at all aggressive or confrontational, but when someone was messing with Alex they better watch out.

"What are you still doing here? I thought I told you to leave! That's it, I'm calling security." Ms. Garland reached for the nearest phone to punch in the front desk number when a pale hand stopped her.

"Please don't call security on my brother. He's just leaving now and he won't come back, right Justin?" Alex asked. He could see her pleading with him with her eyes, just begging him to go with it, she didn't want trouble. Justin shook his head.

"I'll always come back for you." He murmured.

She blushed again but she looked younger.

"That is so sweet. And a little creepy. So beat it." Ms. Garland ruined the moment with her hoarse, mean voice.

"I quit. You can't talk to me or my brother that way." Alex said, jutting out her chin with a smirk on her face.

"What?!" Ms. Garland screeched.

Alex grabbed her laptop and her jacket and her and Justin headed for the elevators.

"You can't do this!" bawled Garland.

Justin wasn't sure, but he thinks he saw Alex give her ex-boss the finger as they stepped into the elevator.

When they got out into the street Alex pumped her arm into the air and cheered.

"Yes, yes! I don't have to work for the Hulk anymore!" She cheered.

"And now you can come back with me to New York!" Justin added.

"Yeah, I could because I don't have a job anymore holding me back and - wait a minute. I don't have a job anymore! Justin! What am I going to do?! I just quit my job! Oh, God, oh God." Alex covered her mouth with her hand and looked terrified.

"You had a crappy job anyways! I don't know how you could stand working in a four-by-four grey windowless cubicle all day! And at a travel company too! You're a free spirit, Alex! And don't call yourself Allie anymore because that is a lie! You know who you are! You're my best friend. You're Alex Russo!" Justin cried.

Alex blinked her puppy dog brown eyes at him than smiled the first real Alex Russo smile he had seen in a long time. She leaped towards him and wrapped her skinny arms around his middle. He hugged her back, hard and felt whole again. Like that little piece of him that broke apart when she ran away five years ago had come back and healed. When she was this close to him, he found it hard to remember that he had a fiancé.

"My plane leaves tomorrow afternoon. I want you to be on it with me." He told his sister sincerely.

She nodded solemnly, "It's time I come home."

They blew off the rest of the afternoon; Justin never went back to work. He called in sick and Alex changed out of her suit and heels. She donned a pair of dark washed jeans and a wrap style dark green top. The outfit still was different then the clothes Justin was used to her wearing, she looked more grown up like this. They walked along the busy streets of Toronto, her short dark hair flying in the breeze.

"Why don't we go to the beach?" Alex asked Justin.

"We're not dressed for the beach. And it is still kind of cold. It's only May you know!" Justin said cautiously.

"You don't need a bathing suit to go to the beach! And it doesn't need to be warm! We could just play in the sand." Alex smiled at him and batted her long lashes, and like always, Justin melted.

They hopped on the bus to south Toronto and walked the rest of the way. When they hit sand, Alex kicked off her espadrilles and ran screaming down to the water. Justin didn't have the heart to tell her to be quiet because people were starting to stare. She was in the highest spirits he had seen in her yet. She ran towards a flock of sea gulls and chased them halfway across the beach. The sun was shining it's warmth, so there were many people and families covering the sand. Justin took off his shoes and socks and picked them up along with her espadrilles and carried them over to where she was dancing on the sand.

"What are you doing?" He asked her.

"Dancing!" She exclaimed.

"There's no music!" He shouted over the roar of the waves.

"I don't need music to dance! Justin, come here!" She grabbed his hands and waltzed him across their corner of beach. She had her eyes shut blissfully, but Justin couldn't close his. She was too brilliant a sight. Her head was tilted back as she laughed and spun around. The sun was shining just for her, it seemed. She was right, she didn't need music to dance. It seemed like the waves were crashing rhythmically for her, the sun was her spotlight. The children's laughter and the bird's cries were all apart of her orchestra. She finally collapsed against the ground from dizziness. She nestled into the warm sand opened her eyes. Her gaze met Justin's. She sighed in content. Justin felt happier than he had in a long time. Alex had been so moody and angry and sad but now she was as he remembered her being. Just a girl who laughed and cried and protected and loved. No more of that bitter scared woman she had been pretending to be. His Alex was back.

"That one looks like a carrot." She whispered, pointing to a large, fluffy cloud.

"Well, that one looks like a cowboy hat." Justin whispered back, gesturing to a cloud to the left of the carrot-cloud.

The exchanged ideas and opinions on cloud shapes and argued, of course, because that is what they did. Their shoulders were touching; their arms were pressed against each other, their hands intertwined. Her hair was tickling his earlobe and her sand covered feet were brushing against his shin. She leaned her head against his shoulder than looked up into his eyes. He suddenly had flashback of the last time they were this close to each other. Alex's eyes widened and he knew she had had the same thought. A face flashed through his mind. He thought guiltily of his fiancé, Chelsea and how he shouldn't be tangled up on a beach with a woman when he was already promised to another. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, a little voice was saying, 'Chelsea's not here and you know what you want to do. Who cares that you're almost married? You cares that Alex is your sister? Kiss her. You know you want to.' But Justin had to ignore that little voice because so many things that it said were wrong in so many ways.

Alex sat up and looked around.

"The beach is almost empty, you know." She acknowledged.

He sat up as well. "Yeah, I guess it is. The sun is about to set."

"Let's go swimming!" She said suddenly.

"What?! No! We're not swimming in our clothes!" Justin said.

"Fine, let's just wet our ankles." She compromised.

But there was no such thing as 'just wetting your ankles' when you were with Alex because once you were in, she was determined to get you in all the way. Also she was notoriously known for splashing. They both ended up soaked and when they got on the bus, everyone stared. He took her back to the hotel and gave her a pair of his pajamas to wear. She went to take a shower and he got dressed in another pair of pajamas. She came out wearing plaid cotton pants that were miles too big and a white t-shirt that easily could have fit two of her in. She raked a hand through her short wet hair and it spiked up. Justin laughed.

"What are you laughing at?" She asked, crossly.

"Remember when you were five and you had really short hair? Whenever you wet your hair and then dried it with a towel, it would stick up just like now! You looked like a troll doll!" Justin laughed. The pout on her face was the same as when she was five, too. She dragged a comb through her troll doll hair and looked normal again.

She threw a pillow at him and his laughter stopped. He raised one eyebrow and she smirked at him. Slowly, he threw a pillow back. It hit her in the face and she whipped it back again. The pillow war had begun.

Alex and Justin were throwing and hitting each other with the fluffy, fancy hotel pillows on the bed. She shrieked with laughter when Justin hit her hard enough to knock her off the bed. He immediately rushed over to her to see if she was alright.

"I'm sorry. Are you okay?" He asked worriedly.

She giggled, "I'm fine."

But he was now close enough to her that she smacked him in the face with the pillow she was holding. He blinked in a daze and she laughed again.

Someone hammered on the wall and shouted through it, "Can you keep it down please? I can't even hear myself think with all your yelling and smashing!"

"Sorry!" Justin called out. To Alex he said, "He's right, we should keep it down."

She pouted and sighed. She miserably picked at the loose string on her t-shirt so Justin wanted to cheer her up.

"Want to order room service?" He asked. It was obviously the right thing to ask for Alex's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.

Then the room was filled with chocolate cakes, fruit trays, baked Alaska, jello, whipped cream and anything else Alex desired. There was some stupid movie playing on the TV and Alex and Justin were curled up on his bed surrounded by food and discarded pillows.

"Remember when Max was like, four or something and we all stayed at that hotel in New York just for fun? Mom and dad went down to the pool for a quick swim and they left you in charge and me and Max ordered all this food of room service and these terrible movies off the TV? I was around seven and you were nine, and you were just as bossy as you are now." Alex whispered.

"Yeah, I remember. I also remember you two being really sick the next day." He teased.

She shoved him softly and smiled. She leaned against the pillow she was laying on, her eyes fluttered and she fell asleep. Justin watched his sister sleep; she was so innocent when she was asleep. She looked so young. Justin didn't bother to get to the other bed; he fell asleep where he was with Alex curled up next to him.

**A/N I just watched Shakespeare In Love and it influenced my writing style a bit, sorry. If you have any questions, comments or complaints just tell me! I want to know if you love it, hate it or are completely indifferent to it. **

**-Wishie **


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N I hope everyone likes it so far. The story, I mean. I am so sorry it's been so long since I've last posted but I've been having some problems with computer. **

"Final borading call for flight 815 to New York City!" The voice over the intercom said. Justin and Alex picked up their carry-on bags and headed to the doorway to the plane. They handed their ticket to the attendedent and walked down the runway.

"I'm really nervous, Justin." Alex whispered.

"This is your family, you'll be fine." Justin reassured her.

She took a deep breath and nodded. Justin put both their bags above their sets and moved to seat by the window. Alex layed a hand on his elbow to stop him.

"Can I sit by the window? Please, Justin?" She batted her long lashes and pouted.

Justin sighed. "Fine. But you can't keep giving me that puppy-dog pout and expect that I'm just going to do whatever you want-"

"Can you pass me my iPod from my bag please?" Alex asked him.

"Yeash, sure." He reeached up again and handed her her iPod and a magazine. It wasn't until he sat back down again did he realize what he just did.

"Argh! I can't believe I fell for it again!" He groaned and Alex laughed.

Alex slept the whole flight. Justin flipped through a book he was reading and listened to Alex's iPod that he stole from her. Thankfully, the flight was short and they were in New York quickly. The first thing Justin saw when he got off the plane was Chelsea's smiling face. She brushed a strand of honey blonde hair away from her grass green eyes and ran into Justin's arms.

"Chelsea, this is my sister, Alex. She's come back to visit the family." Justin explained.

"Hi, Alex." She said shyly to Justin's sister.

Alex was half standing behind Justin, "Hello." She said warily.

"I really missed you so much babe." Justin said to his fiance.

"I missed you too. Everyone's waiting back at the apartment." Chelsea grabbed his hand and led him to a taxi with Alex trailing behind.

The taxi ride was a little awkward. The driver had loud rap music playing and kept screaming at every other driver on the road. Justin kept trying to draw Alex into conversation, but every time he spoke he was interupted by the taxi cab driver.

They finally got to the sub shop and Justin dragged both his and Alex's suitcases. It was early evening and the shop had shut early. They walked through the darkened restaurant and up the twirling starcase. Chelsea pushed open the front door to the Russo loft and Justin and Alex followed her in.

"SURPRISE!" An assortment of voices shouted. People jumped up from behind the island in the kitchen and Alex took a step backwards in surprise but Justin grinned.

"Oh, I missed you my sweetie!" Theresa said warmly and hugged her eldest son. Then, she saw Alex. "Oh!" She said in shock and burst into tears.

"Hi, mom." Alex said quietly.

"You - you are so different!" Theresa said tearfully. Justin looked at his sister and agreed with his mother. When Alex was younger, she was always draped in a million colours but now she was all in black. Her face looked pale and guant and her body was too skinny. Alex and Theresa hugged tightly and for the first time, Justin noticed the other people in the room.

Harper and Zeke were holding hands by the fridge and Archie, the new chef was sitting on a stool beside Sarah and Anna, the waitresses. Even Max had come by. They had also hung up a huge sparkly banner that said, 'Welcome home Justin and Alex! '

"Your brother called me this morning and told me you were coming but I just couldn't believe it! And you're here! I missed you so, so much! _Never _leave me again!" Theresa said through her tears. Justin rememebered his mother on the phone, she had immediatly started crying and laughing at the same time.

"Okay, mom." Alex agreed.

"Hi, Alex!" Harper called.

"Hi, Harper!" Alex ran over and, surprisingly, hugged her old friend.

"Gues what, Alex?! I have my own fashion line and Zeke is working for NASA!" Harper said excitedly.

"Wow, that's really great guys." Alex said sincerely. Before she might have said something biting and nasty about the NASA comment but not she was just glad to be near her loved ones again.

"Alex!" Max yelled and swooped her up in a hug.

"Whoa when did you get so tall?" Alex asked.

Max let her go and ran a hand through his tangled mess of wavy brown hair.

A shy man walked up to Alex and shook her hand. "Hello, Miss Alex. I am Archie. Thank you so much for letting my work in your family's restaurant."

"But I really had nothing to do with - " Alex started to say before Justin elbowed her in her side. She smiled at Archie and and he nodded. From his appearance, Archie might have some Greek heritage but he spoke with a perfect American accent. The waitresses came up to greet Alex.

"Hi, Alex! I'm Sarah!" The blonde one said. She had really long, straight blonde hair and a body like a pencil.

The other girl was slightly shorter with shoulder-length curly red hair, "I'm Anna." She said.

Alex smiled and nodded her head. Everyone stayed for a while longer, Theresa put out some food and turned on the radio. Around ten thirty, Archie went home than Anna and then Sarah. Harper and Zeke went home to their apartment and then Max was about to poof out.

"No! You can't leave! I just got my daughter back I don't want to lose my sons!" Theresa cried.

"You're no losing me, mom. I'm just going back to the school." Max said.

"No, stay here at night and then just pop back in for the day! Don't go!" His mother begged.

"Alright, mom." Max agreed.

"And you and Chelsea can't go back to the apartment either! Just stay with the family!" Theresa said to Justin. He nodded.

"I'm just going to pack a suitcase and I'll be right back." She said quickly under Theresa'a furious gaze.

Chelsea went down to her and Justin's apartment and Justin carried his suitcase he had from his trip up the stairs to his room. Alex followed behind carrying her suitcases. Justin dropped his bag in his room, it still looked mostly the same as when he was a teenager. It changed a little since some of his tastes have changed, but it still had the general appearence of a science lab/library/study hall/teenage boys' room. Max's room was mostly the same as well. Justin heard Alex gasp from her room.

"What is it?" He came over and asked her.

"My - my room..." She stuttered.

"What's wrong with it?" He asked.

Alex's room was identical to the way she left it. The bed was still unmade, there were still clothes draped across her desk chair and all over the floor, she still had perfumes and make up on her vanity and a half finished painting on her easel. Justin knew for a fact that Theresa came in everyday and dusted off every surface but wouldn't move anything, she liked to think that Alex could be home any day. It looked like Alex had stepped out for a minute not five years.

"It looks just like I remember.... I thought you would have changed it into a guest room or something..... I don't think I can sleep in here, there are too many memories..." Alex murmured.

"Do you want me to help you set up a bed on the couch?" Justin asked. She shook her head no and shut her bedroom door. She walked off down the hall and down the stairs. Just then, Max and Theresa came up for bed. Justin waited up for Chelsea who came a few minutes later with a huge Coach suitcase in hand.

"Is Alex downstairs?" Justin asked.

"No, I haven't seen her." Chelsea answered.

Justin started to feel a little worried. He was scared she ran off again. He ran downstairs but there was nothing there, it was all in darkness. He flicked on a light and saw that her shoes were still by the door which means she didn't leave the building. He looked everywhere and then decided to check the terrace. There she was, huddled underneath that rainbow blanket, still looking as lost and confused as last time. She was in the same position as she was so long ago.

"Hi, Justin." She muttered.

"Don't you kow it's not safe to sleep on the terrace?" He asked frantically.

"I like to see the sky..." She trailed off and glanced up. All you could see was the the glow from the streetlights and polluted dark clouds.

"Well, come inside." Justin demanded.

"Why?"

He couldn't tell her that it made him feel sick that she looked like she was twenty-one again, fresh from the wizard competion. It would kill her if she found out that he was scared to death to see her under the same blanket in the same chair. And yet, he wanted to join her on that chair, he wanted to try that night again..... But all he said was, "You'll get cold."

"It's May." She grumbled but got up and went back into the house anyways. He took one last look at the now empty chair and discarded blanket and then turned off the light and went back upstairs.

The next morning he woke to find Alex sleeping in Max's room. They were curled up on the bed together, Max's feet sticking out from the bottome of the blanket and Alex's dark hair covering her face. Justin smiled at his younger siblings. He then went downstairs to start breakfast.

Justin loved mornings. He loved the sight of the sun rising over the buildings and the smell of breakfats cooking. He also loved that no one else in his family woke up early. Justin was an early to bed, early to rise kind of guy but everyone else, including Chelsea, was more a party all night, sleep all day type of person. He just started a pot of coffee when he heard someone walk down the stairs. And not a shuffling-too-sleepy kind of walk, this person was wide awake, by the sound of their footsteps. Justin turned around to see Alex standing at the foot of the stairs.

"What are you doing up so early?" Justin asked. "It's six-thirty!"

"I always wake up early." She said and grabbed a cup of coffee.

"No, you sleep in til two and then spend the rest of the day in your pajamas." Justin said.

"Well, lately I haven't been able to sleep that well so I would wake up early. Now I do it because I'm used to it." She took a sip from the steaming mug and looked at him over the rim.

Justin knew that by 'lately' she meant 'for the past five years'.

"Okay, well, no one wil be up for at least another couple of hours so I guess it's just me and you." Justin said awkwardly.

"I guess." She shrugged.

She took her coffee and sat down on the couch and flipped on the TV to the news.

"_You _watch the news?" Justin asked, amused.

She glared at him icily. "I just want to see if it's going to rain today. I'm going out with Harper for lunch and a walk around Central Park to catch up."

"Ah, okay." Justin was still entertained.

A commercial came on for a new art gallery opening up and Justin asked Alex, "Why don't you paint anymore?" He remembered her saying something about her not being an artist anymore.

"I don't know what to paint. I have no inspiration." She said sadly.

They sat in silence for the next little while until the rest of the family came down for breakfast. Then Alex dissapeared with Harper for the rest of the day. The two girls came back to the shop giggling and laughing like they were sixteen again. Justin felt a twinge of jealousy that Harper could make Alex loosen up and be herself again but he couldn't.

It was Sunday so Justin and Max and Chelsea didn't have to go to work and the sub shop was closed.

Harper stayed for dinner and Zeke joined them. Justin, Zeke, Max and Harper got into a heated debate about Elf rights. Theresa just rolled her eyes and talked about the cute fire man that lived above the Russo family apartment with Chelsea. Alex sat in silence throughout the whole meal. Everyone at the table knew about the existence of wizards and other kinds of magic. Justin told his finace becuase he didn't want her to marry him without knowing everything about him and Harper knew and she didn't want to lie to Zeke. Things between them were getting pretty serious.

Justin looked around and felt an overwhelming sense of contenment. Everyone was back home.

**A/N I don't know how often I will be able to update because my computer is having some problems but I'll try my best! Sorry if this chapter seemed a little short. **


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N i just got a new laptop so im motivated to write more often! ill post as often as i can!**

It was around nine at night when Chelsea asked Alex if she would like to be a bridesmaid. Harper and Zeke had gone home and Max and Theresa were watching TV. Alex was sitting a stool in the kitchen eating raw sugar and Chelsea just asked. Alex looked like she had just sucked on a lemon, she puckered her lips and they formed the word 'no'. But before she could speak, her and Justin's eyes met. Suddenly she was nodding and smiling at Justin's fiancé and agreeing to go dress shopping the next day during Chelsea's lunch break. Chelsea squealed and clapped her hands together. Then she was going into every miniscule detail about the upcoming wedding. The date was set for June 15th, it was now May 11th.

"And we booked the cutest little church! It's so small and quant and the reception is set to be held here - at the sub shop! Won't that be fun?! I got my dress last week, it's so elegant! It has - oops! I shouldn't be talking about it in front of the groom!" She giggled and Justin smiled on cue. To be honest, his attention had begun to waver. Alex's eyes were trained on the TV and the wrestling match that was taking place. It was obvious that she didn't hear a word that Chelsea said.

The next morning, everyone left for work. At least, Max, Chelsea and Justin did. Alex was going to help out around the sub shop. Archie came early for work like he always did. Anna came next, quiet but prepared to work. Sarah was slightly late but she brought coffee for everyone, which made up for her tardiness. Justin caught the subway and headed to the Think Big office building.

"Wassup, hombre?" A hungover Nick said from his chair. He made no effort to get up when Justin came in.

"What was it this time, Nick?" Justin said casually. He, and everyone else, was used to Nick coming into work either drunk or hungover.

"I was at this really crazy bar in the Village and I met these girls. Twins, actually. Japanese twins if you want to be specific. Well, things got a little out of hand and the next thing I know I'm throwing back six shots a minute and me and the twins are... you know... And now my head feels like someone ate it and then spit it out again." Nick said, rubbing his aching head.

"I brought coffee." Justin handed him a to-go cup of plain black coffee.

"You're officially my favorite person ever." Nick grabbed the coffee and downed it all in three gulps.

The rest of the day continued in that pattern. The twins called twice and Justin had to pretend that he had no idea who Nick Shaw was because Nick hated when one-night-stands called the very next morning. It was a little after two, when Chelsea called.

"Ask Nick if he wants to be an usher." She demanded**. A/N I have no idea if 'usher' is the right word, but I'm talking about the male versions of bridesmaids. **

"Why?" Justin asked.

"Because my sister is my maid of honor and Max is your best man and I asked Alex to be another bridesmaid so now it's unequal and you need another usher!" Chelsea sounded a little frantic. She was obsessed with their wedding being perfect.

Justin put his hand over the phone and called to Nick's desk. "Hey, man, do you want to be my usher?"

"What's an usher?" Nick said with his mouth full of vending-machine donuts.

"It's like a male bridesmaid." Justin explained.

"Yeah, sure."

"He said yes." Justin said to Chelsea.

"Great, tell him to come down to the bridal store called 'Forever Memories' on eighty-second street. Alex is getting fitted for her dress and Lizzie is just getting the finishing touches done on hers. Talia the seamstress can fit him in for his tux right now." Chelsea commanded.

Justin hung up the phone and told Nick to go to Chelsea. Nick practically sprinted from the building. Lizzie was Chelsea's sister and was almost as crazy about the wedding as she was. Nick never came back to the building, but when Justin got back to the restaurant, he had somehow became best friends with the girls. Theresa and Max were out picking up more supplies.

"What's going on here?" Justin asked. The four of them were splitting their sides laughing.

"Well, there was this guy, and he - and he...." Lizzie started but another bout of laughter prevented her from continuing.

"I'm sorry, honey. It was just one of those you had to be there kind of things." Chelsea said giggling.

Justin pouted. He hated feeling so left out. It reminded him of high school.

"Aw, stop pouting, honey!" Chelsea grinned.

"I'm not pouting!"

Everyone laughed but Alex saw the expression on her brother's face and stopped.

"I'm going to talk to Archie." Justin turned and went into the back kitchen with calls of "We were only teasing, Justin!"

Archie was busy making four sandwiches at once. He was the best sandwich maker Justin had seen since his dad. Justin still felt grievous when he thought of his father. In memory of him, there was a picture of him making a sandwich and smiling hanging above the counter. Sarah rushed in laughing and holding a tray. She picked up the sandwiches Archie had made and zoomed back out to the tables.

"What is wrong, Mr. Justin?" Archie asked, still making sandwiches. No matter how many times the Russos asked him to call them by their first name he just nodded and smiled and ignored them.

"Nothing really." Justin really didn't want to go into the very complicated details of his social life with their chef.

"I'm a good listener. You could just talk out loud and pretend I'm not here. It's always better to speak your worries or else they consume you and you are left with nothing but frown lines!" He barked out a laugh and picked up they mayonnaise.

"Well, Alex has been gone for so long and now she's back but she's so different! I mean, she's too skinny and she always wears black! And I now I shouldn't complain, at least she's back right? But it's still really bugging me and I think she might be avoiding me and I don't know what to do! I also think it might be my fault she left in the first place! Well, it definitely is. I did a really bad thing and she ran off and then I met Chelsea and I love her so much but she has inside jokes with Nick and he thinks Alex's hot and he's my friend but I don't really want him near her because he's that kind of guy if you know what I mean. And this wedding is driving me insane! She wants everything to be perfect and like a fairy-tale but it's getting so expensive and some of the things aren't really my taste but I just want her to be happy and if she likes it, I should like it right? But who really has a six foot tall iced _swan _at their wedding?" Justin ranted.

The whole time Archie was listening intently, nodding occasionally and sometimes making small 'hmm' noises.

"Well, I think you need to say no to the swan, because you're right; it's tacky. Tell Nick that you don't want him to date your sister. Whatever the bad thing is, I'm sure Miss Alex will forgive but if you think she is avoiding you, why don't you and she go some place and talk? Miss Chelsea is not leaving you out of conversations, she loves you and if she is leaving you out, it's by accident." Archie stated.

Justin sighed, "You make everything sound so easy. And I guess it's not hard to solve my problems but you don't understand; I didn't something really, _really _bad and I don't think things between me and Alex can be the same ever again."

"What was the really bad thing then?" Archie asked.

"I.... it's just bad, Archie. It's like the very worst thing you could do with your sister. I belong in a trailer park." Justin said miserably and embarrassedly.

"I don't understand, what did you - ohhhhh." Archie said slowly as he finally did understand. Justin blushed and felt like throwing up. He couldn't believe he just said it out loud, sort of. Now Archie knew and he was going to tell Theresa and Justin and Alex would be disowned and shunned from the family. He couldn't even meet the kind man's eyes.

"I don't hate you, Mr. Justin." Archie said softly.

"You - you don't?" Justin asked slowly.

"No, but I don't really understand or support what you did. Kissing your sister-"

"Shhh!"

"-Is a sin but they do say that past lovers are reborn as siblings so what do I know?" Archie finished.

Justin felt like a huge weight had been lifted out of his stomach, he had been carrying around a bunch of guilt, fear, disgust and shame since Alex left and he felt relieved that someone knew and didn't want him to be burned at the stake.

"Thank you for talking to me, Archie." Justin said gratefully.

"Thank you for trusting me with your secrets, Mr. Justin, I will take them to my grave. But I don't encourage any further relationship with Miss Alex besides a brother-sister one. You are getting married and one isn't supposed to be dating their siblings anyways." Archie said somberly.

Justin nodded; he knew the words were true. And yet he hoped that Archie would say something different....

"There you are!" Alex cried, walking into the back room. "Everyone's been looking for you everywhere!"

"Um, yeah I've been back here..." Justin said. He was all too aware of Archie's gaze studying him and Alex.

"Sarah and Anna have just gone home and Nick left too. Chelsea told me to tell you that she's going home with her sister tonight to have dinner with her family and she'll see you later." Alex told him.

"So, I guess it's just you and me." Justin said.

"Yeah." She couldn't be blushing could she?

"Why don't I make you two sandwiches for dinner and you can tell me all about the dress fitting Alex." Archie said and than pulled out the bread bag. Justin knew what he was doing. He was making it that Justin and Alex couldn't be alone together, he still thought that Justin would jump Alex any chance he got. Which he so wouldn't. Alex was his sister and whatever happened in the past, kissing your sister is very, very wrong. And he would never cheat on Chelsea.

"I know you felt left out, Justin, but you weren't missing much. The dresses are too poofy and strapless and knee-length and _pink!_" Alex said like it was a horrible swear word.

"Oh, dear how terrible. We could dye it black and stick it in the paper shredder to make it wearable." Justin said solemnly with a small smile though.

"Yes we should." Alex said seriously while taking a bite out of her crustless PB and J sandwich that Archie handed her.

Justin laughed and they ate their dinner under the watchful gaze of Archie.

**A/N so what does everyone think so far? please review! **


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N thank you for all the lovely comments! they are very kind! you guys are the best people ever and justin and alex love you and want to give you extra special jalex cookies! ok sorry im being weird again! ill try to add a chapter ASAP! and i so dont anything but a brand new laptop!**

"What color flowers do you think we should get for the wedding?" Chelsea asked thoughtfully as she ate her morning yogurt.

"I don't really care, Chels. Surprise me." Justin was watching the weather network and not really listening. They had a new weather lady on and her predictions were amazingly accurate....

"Oh, fine! You don't care! That's great, Justin, just great! I can see this is how it's going to be from now on! Is nothing I say important?" She cried.

"Okay, fine! What about red flowers? Roses?" Justin said.

"Red roses, Justin? Have you not been listening to anything I say! The bridesmaids dresses are pink! That would totally clash! And everyone knows that red is a winter color! You use the red flowers to brighten up the cold grey scenery! We need something fresh and summery!" She exclaimed.

"I don't know any kinds of flowers Chelsea! Just pick one!" Justin, getting impatient, said.

"Fine!" She shrieked.

She slammed down her yogurt container and stormed out the door and down the stairs. Justin felt a little guilty for not paying her enough attention so he followed her down. She was already out the door by the time he got there.

"Morning, Justin!" He heard Alex call from the cash register.

"Oh, good morning." He went over to her. She was flipping through a magazine and eating sugar from the container. The place was empty because The Waverly Sub Shop doesn't open until eleven.

"What's up?" She asked. She still hadn't looked up from her magazine.

"Oh, nothing much." He said.

"Oh, really? Nothing's wrong?" She glanced up for the first time and looked at him from underneath her foot-long eyelashes. She looked at him with one eyebrow raised and a look that said I-Can-Read-Your-Mind-So-Just-Tell-Me-Everything-Right-Now-Before-This-Gets-Painful.

Justin cracked and spilled his guts to his little sister. "Chelsea is freaking out. It seems like everything I do is wrong you're stupid. We just had an argument about flowers!"

She nodded philosophically and said, "I see. Pre-wedding jitters, it's perfectly normal. And she just wants everything to be perfect for you. She wants you to be happy."

"Oh. But I am happy! She doesn't need to be a bridezilla!" Justin exclaimed.

"You need to calm down. Why don't you skip work today and take a walk with me?" She asked.

"Skip work?!" Justin asked, scandalized.

"Yes."

"But I just skipped work like, last week and I could get fired!"

"Don't worry, we'll call your boss and tell him you're sick." She picked up Justin's cell phone and scrolled down his list of contacts until she got to his office number.

"Hello." She said into the phone. "Hi, yes, my name is Chelsea Cuttler and I just wanted to say that my fiancé, Justin Russo is extremely ill. Yes, I know. He won't be coming into work today because he is too sick even to pick up a phone. He's been diagnosed with mild, um, tilioperosis. It's a disease that affects the finger tips. He won't be able to type for maybe a week! Okay, I'll tell him you said hi! Thank you!" And then she hung up the phone.

The whole time Justin watched in horrified fascination. He was in complete shock (well not really complete, this was Alex Russo) that she would do something like that. She pretended to be his fiancé to get his boss to let him off work, and Justin _knew _there was no such thing as tiliopersosis.

"Well, now that you're to sick to come to work, want to go to the new art gallery with me?" She asked and untied her apron.

"It's like eight in the morning; I don't think it will be open. But we could go for a walk around Central Park." Justin suggested. Alex taped a note to the cash register telling their mother that she went for a walk and might be back later. Theresa was upstairs, still sleeping. After their dad had died, she didn't wake up until usually about nine in the morning.

They walked around Central Park which was mostly empty save for people walking to work or taking their dog for a walk. It was gorgeously sunny and warm and everyone was making the best of the weather. The wandered around for a little while but then they got to the playground. Alex ran over to the swings and jumped on one. The entire park was empty. She started to pump her legs and fly higher and higher. She tilted her head back and laughed like she was six years old again. She went backwards and forwards on the swing, her dark hair flying everywhere.

"Come on Justin!" She shrieked.

He shook his head and smiled at her.

"Come _on! _You're getting married, don't you want to be a kid again before you're a grown up? Okay, that made no sense but you need to get on this swing _right now!" _she yelled at the top of her voice.

When reminded of his upcoming wedding, the grin slid of Justin's face and he hurried onto the swing next to his sister. She smiled at him blissfully and leaned her head back letting her hair hang down and the sun kiss her face. This was one of those rare moments where Justin was reminded of the little girl she used to be. Just playing at the park, laughing and being happy. Before it was geeky to laugh in public or to show outward signs of glee. Before she became jaded and too cool for school she was just innocent and carefree.

Suddenly she stopped. She skidded her feet against the ground and she got up and ran. Justin sat there stunned for a second and then got his act in gear and chased after her calling her name. She was running like a crazy person towards a man who was speed walking with a professional jogging suit and portable radio on. Justin saw Alex call to the man then asked if he could turn up his radio, by the time he got to her, she had her phone pressed to her ear and was tapping her foot impatiently.

"Don't - run -away - like - that - ever - again." Justin panted.

"Shh!" She shushed him.

"She heard my radio playing as I jogged by her at the park and now she's calling the radio station." The man explained.

"I just heard that Tears of Blood have a surprise concert on Saturday and the only way to get tickets is to win them!" She explained. Justin pulled out his cell phone and called the radio. The jogging man called the radio as well to help them out.

They stood with their phones to their ear and attracting the eye of some passerby's. Alex gasped with delight and whispered excitedly, "It's ringing!"

Justin and the jogging man hung up their phones and Alex hopped form foot to foot and then she said, "Hello? Did I win?"

The man turned up his radio and Justin could hear his sister on the local station.

"Why, yes you did! You are the proud new owner of two Tears of Blood concert tickets! Front row seats and backstage passes after the show! Do you know who you're taking?" The smooth radio DJ asked.

"I'm giving them to my brother, Justin, because he loves TOB!" She exclaimed. The radio announcer congratulated her one more time then put a song on. Alex gave them her address and phone number and they said they could mail them to her or she could pick them up. She chose to pick them up because they were already out.

They walked along out of the park and down the street and all the way to the radio station. Justin pushed open and held the door for his sister. The studio looked especially dark after the bright glare of the summer sun.

"Can I help you?" A bored receptionist asked.

"Um, yes we won the radio contest for the Tears of Blood concert and we just came to pick them up." Justin told her.

The secretary nodded and snapped her gum. She got up and went down the hall, she came back with an envelope. Justin reached for it but Alex grabbed it and tore it open. The tickets were in there for the first row on Saturday night. There was also backstage passes to meet the band.

"This is so awesome!" Justin exclaimed. He wasn't sure, but he thinks he saw the receptionist roll her eyes at that.

"Are you going to take Chelsea with you?" Alex asked as the left the station and made their way down the street.

"No, she doesn't really like heavy metal. She's more into the Top 40 pop music." Justin said.

Alex made a face and laughed.

"Hey! Do you want to come with me?" He asked her suddenly.

She seemed like she was waiting for him to ask, "Yeah, sure."

Her smile outshined the sun when she said that. It was about lunchtime so they went into this hole-in-the-wall cafe and had terrible food and a crappy waiter but it was fun because they were excited for the concert and just glad to be together again. When Justin was with her, he found it hard to remember he was getting married. She talked him into going to that art gallery and they walked among the paintings, Alex explaining things and Justin pretending to be fascinated by hundred year old paintings.

She's pointing something out and somewhere along the way, their hands touch. They're not exactly holding hands; more like touching hands. The keep looking at the painting, not because it's so amazing, because as soon as they walk away the spell will be broken and their hands won't touch anymore. There are people standing around them, trying to catch a glimpse of the painting. Justin hears a few pointed coughs and some irritated muttering. So he grabs Alex's hand and drags her away. She glances at him in surprise, but doesn't let his hand go. They walk around the gallery holding hands and avoiding each other's eyes. Eventually, she smiles shyly up at him and he laughs and drapes his arm around her slim shoulders. They stop at painting by a new artist. The painting was of a woman with inky black hair in shredded blood stained wedding dress. She's crying and screaming and leaning over her dead husbands still and bloody body. The painting is shocking and full of pain. Justin can't help but think that the woman looked a bit like his sister. And then he imagined his life if he was marrying Alex instead of Chelsea. He dropped her hand like it was on fire.

"What?" She asked him.

"Nothing. Let's go home." He mutters back. He can't look at her the whole way back. He had just thought the dirtiest, sickest thought ever. Marrying his sister? He shudders at the thought. But then he looks at her out of the corner of his eye and wonders what he would have done if Alex _wasn't _his sister. Would he still be getting ready to walk down the aisle to Chelsea, or would things have turned out differently? He hates himself a little for thinking like this but he really can't help it.

They get back to the sub shop where Theresa is frantically serving customers. Anna and Sarah only work in the afternoons and on weekends because they have school but Archie is in the back cooking. Theresa starts to lecture Alex about disappearing and being irresponsible but Justin doesn't hear the rest because he goes straight up stairs and _sleeps. _At least when he's asleep he isn't a pervert. He doesn't think about Alex in a romantic way or breaking off his engagement. He usually has weird dreams where he has a bowling competition with Einstein or something. And then he deliberately goes out of his way to avoid Alex. He can see she's hurt by that and confused but he really doesn't know what else to do. On Friday night he talks to Archie.

Sarah and Anna had gone home and Max was on a date with some street magician girl he had met and Theresa was upstairs with Alex and Chelsea watching a "girl movie".

"Hey, Archie." Justin says slowly to the cook as he walks into the kitchen. Archie is just wiping down the counters and cleaning up.

"Yes, Mr. Justin?" Archie says.

"Ummm.... so.... well, lately, I've - I've .... argh! Okay, I don't know how to say this but I've been avoiding Alex and-"

"I know." Archie says simply.

"You - you know?" He asked, stunned.

"Yes. She talks to me. She says that you two were holding hands at the art gallery and then you just started to avoid her. She thinks you hate her." Archie explained.

"But I don't hate her! That's the thing; I don't know how I feel about her! I know I love her, but lately I've loving her differently....." Justin said reluctantly.

Archie looked solemn after that. "Don't say things like that unless you mean them, Justin Russo."

"I know, I understand. Did she tell you about the concert? Do you know if she still wants to go?" Justin asked.

"Oh, that Crying Pain concert of whatever the band is called! Yes, she was quite excited about going with you, she says she really likes the band. But she thinks that you don't want to go with her anymore." Archie said.

"But I do! I'm going to go and apologize for ignoring her right now!" Justin exclaimed and then said, "Archie, you don't think I'm sick do you? Like, twisted and mental?"

"No, Mr. Russo. I think you are a very healthy young man. One with some hard choices to make." Archie said seriously. Justin nodded and thanked him and then went upstairs. The girls were watching some movie where the characters were crying and kissing on screen in the rain. Theresa and Chelsea were smiling with tears in their eyes but Alex was fidgeting and rolling her eyes.

"Do you still want to go to the concert with me, Alex?" He interrupted the movie and asked.

"What concert?" Chelsea asked.

"Me and Alex won tickets on the radio to a Tears of Blood concert tomorrow night." Justin told her.

"Yeah, I still want to go." Alex said.

"Why didn't you invite me?" Chelsea asked, hurt.

"Because you don't like TOB. And Alex does." Justin said slowly.

Chelsea pouted and Alex grinned. The next night Justin met Alex at the front door. She came down the stairs wearing dark skinny jeans, sparkly black flats, a shredded black shirt with a red tank top underneath and black nail polish and ruby red lips. Justin was just wearing jeans and his TOB t-shirt. Theresa warned them about creeps at concerts and drinking too much and getting lost. She made Justin promise to protect his baby sister and Alex promised not to do anything stupid or reckless. The got a taxi to the concert hall and waited in line to get in, they handed their ticket to the bouncer and went to the front row. The concert started up with a scream from a guitar and a wale from the singer. The whole crowd was on their feet dancing and screaming along with the music. Justin thought he saw his old crush, Millie way, way back but he could have been mistaken. Because if it was her, the years have not been kind.

The concert ended and Alex and Justin were escorted backstage where about fifty other people and the radio DJ from that station were waiting for the TOB guys. They came out and the crowd cheered and Justin felt like fainting because he was finally getting to meet his favourite band in person! They turned out to be totally high and drunk and the drummer winked at Alex and then Justin decided it was time to go.

They were walking along trying to hail a taxi. Alex was wearing Justin's coat and they were laughing about the concert and comparing their favourite songs when they heard a male's voice say, "Alex?"

Alex turned around and gasped with surprise, "Mason?"

**dun-dun-dah! lol sorry of this one was a bit long but what did you think of the cliffhanger?**** I will give you to extra special jalex cookies if you review! **


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N wassup jalex fans? I own everyone who reviewed are the proud new owners of a jalex cookie! Complete with yummy softness and wizard sprinkles! Thanks for the review! **

The awkward silence stretched on and around the little group in the Russo living room. The vivid orange of the couches seemed too bright for such a late time of night and the seriousness of the situation. Theresa had waited up for her children to get home and when they brought back Alex's werewolf ex-boyfriend with them, she just sighed and put a pot of tea on. Chelsea woke up when she heard people talking but Max was still sawing logs upstairs. Now Chelsea and Theresa were on the couch, Justin and Alex were on the loveseat and Mason was on the chair. Everyone was quietly sipping their tea and trying to find a polite way to bring up his sudden appearance.

"Why are you human, Mason?" Alex asked bluntly.

"I was turned back into a human by this old witch in Northern Canada." Said Mason.

"Don't you mean wizard?" Alex asked.

"Um, no. A witch." He said slowly.

Alex looked confused so Justin said, "Witches are very different from wizards, they don't carry a wand for one thing and they deal in more temperamental kinds of magic. They have a different brand of magic as well. It's older and more in touch with nature."

"Yeah." Mason said. "I was travelling in a pack of wolves by then and we were in the very farthest regions of Canada, where no people live. We passed this cabin and the Alpha Male told me that they don't get too close to it because a strange force surrounds it. So I went to it because I thought that 'strange force' could help me. And that's when I met Rowena. As soon as she saw me, she knew I wasn't really a wolf. She knew this really, _really _old potion that turns humans to animals and animals to humans. So now I'm just a human, not a werewolf." He finished.

A stunned silence followed his speech.

"Wow." Justin said, "That's amazing! I would love to meet Rowena! Witches brand of magic sounds fascinating!"

"Well, I'm not magic and it's one o'clock in the morning, so Mason would you like to sleep on the couch tonight or do you have an apartment?" Theresa said standing up.

"Yeah, I have an apartment. It was nice to see you all again, especially you, Alex. I have been looking for you in New York for weeks, every since I changed back." Mason said to his ex-girlfriend.

Alex gave him a weak smile.

"Wow! So you used to be a werewolf and Justin's ex-girlfriend is a vampire! This is just like Twilight!" Chelsea squealed. Alex slapped a hand over her mouth to stop herself from bursting out laughing.

Mason shifted awkwardly and said, "Yeah, um, about that. Justin, I am so, _so _sorry but, um, Juliet is – is dead. She died of old age; she was over 2000 years old." He says with a weak smile but no one smiles back. He continues, "I stayed with her until the end, and the last thing she ever said was, 'Tell Justin I love him.' So that was one of the reasons to become human again. This was about eight years ago I think."

Justin can't speak. It's all he can do to stop himself from bursting into tears. She was his first, true love. You never forget your first love. Alex squeezes his hand in silent sympathy. Everyone is quiet for a few minutes.

Then Theresa quietly says, "Maybe it's time we all go to bed."

Mason nodded and left. Theresa and Chelsea went upstairs but Justin didn't move. Alex was about to get up and said, "Aren't you going to bed?"

Justin finally found his voice, "Juliet is dead."

"I'm sorry." Alex says softly.

He shuts his eyes tight to stop the flow of painful tears but a few escapes along with a quiet whimper.

"Justin, are you-"

"It's just my allergies, okay?!"

"Justin-"

"I don't Chelsea to hear my....... and my allergies...... over Juliet." Justin murmured.

"Then why don't we go somewhere else? We could go to your apartment?" Alex suggested.

Alex led him into a taxi and Justin squeaked out his address. The driver looked exhausted as Justin felt and looked in need of a strong coffee. When Justin got to the apartment, he just collapsed on the couch and slammed his eyes shut. It was easier to fight tears when you're laying down, gravity shoots them back into your head. But nothing can stop the sad little noises you make when your heart breaks. Justin, in a way, still loved Juliet. It wasn't the kind of love he felt for her before; it _had _been ten years. But it was a kind of protective love, in the back of his mind he had always thought about her and wondered about how she was doing. And now that she was dead...... well, he was in complete shock. Chelsea couldn't understand how he felt right now, how exhausted and sad and jolted he was. Really, only Alex could comprehend his jumbled emotions, because she would be feeling the same thing if she found out it was Mason who was dead instead of Juliet. And speaking of his sister, he felt the couch move as she sat down next to him.

"I think my new favourite song is 'The Devil's Daughter'." Alex said absently.

"What?" Justin had no idea what she was talking about. His mind was still wrapping around the fact his first love had died eight years ago.

"From the concert! TOB played it first and I think it's my favourite song of theirs." She explained.

Justin stared at her.

"I thought you wouldn't want to think about Mason and stuff so I was distracting you with the concert we were at two hours ago." She said slowly as if to a small child.

He smiled and it felt like his face was made of stone. He saw her eyeing his TV and game consoles.

"How much you want to bet I can beat you at 'Captain Jim Bob Sherwood the Video Game' on X-box?" Alex smirked.

"I'm the best at that game!" Justin said, outraged.

They played the video game all night and by morning, Justin was feeling so much better. Alex always knew what was best for him. And Justin so won.

"You cheated!" Alex pouted as they walked into the sub shop.

"I didn't!" Justin exclaimed. She shook her head and froze when she noticed who was sitting at the counter for the sub shop.

"Mason?" She said.

"Oh, good morning Alex! I just came by to see if you wanted to do something today!" He said.

"Like what?" She asked.

"We could go to that new art gallery? Or we could go see a movie?" He said in his thick British accent. Then he led her out the door when she nodded and they disappeared down the street.

Chelsea smiled at Justin from behind the counter; she had been serving Mason breakfast. She said to her fiancé, "Let's do something too!"

And that was how Justin got roped into going to see the International Wedding Show. They walked among princess styled white dresses and elaborate displays of expensive and exotic flowers. Chelsea 'oohed' and 'ahhhed' and everything but Justin couldn't stop thinking about beating Alex at the video game last night. Chelsea held up a veil that cost more than Justin's apartment and that's when he decided he needed backup.

"Hey, dude." Nick said from the other end of Justin's cell phone.

"I'm bored." Justin said bluntly.

"What's tilioperosis or whatever the hell it's called?" Nick asked.

"It's nothing; Alex made it up so I could get out of work." Justin said quickly.

Nick laughed loudly, "Awesome! Yeah, everyone here thinks your dying. They're talking about putting money together to send you a gift basket."

Justin groaned, "She said I'm expected to be better in a week or so, I'll be back then. Do you want to ditch work and come to a wedding show? I'm dying of boredom."

"You had me 'ditch work'!" Nick exclaimed.

Half an hour later, Nick was at the gallery making fun of the hopeful couples and serious supervisors. Chelsea gave him the evil eye every time he laughed; it started when he mocked the candles she was looking at. Justin was stuck in the middle; just like his life growing up, always having to calm people down and smooth over arguments. It was tiring, but Alex was always there to keep things lively. But she wasn't here this time.

**A/N just so everyone knows, there will only be two more chapters after this one and maybe an epilogue. **


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N thanks so much for all the reviews, it means so much to me! Okay, the story is finishing up, there is about one or two chapters left including this one and an epilogue maybe. And i don't own anything, because if i did, would i be writing fanfiction? **

Chelsea walked along the aisles of the show room clutching Justin's hand like a leash. They had been there all day and Justin felt that if he ever saw anything resembling a wedding ever again it would be too soon. Nick was like a zombie. He followed them with a strong black coffee with no sugar or cream. The crowds were thinning out and Justin felt ready to hit something if he didn't get out of here soon.

"Why don't we go home now?" Justin asked hopefully.

Nick lifted his eyes and perked up a bit. He had gotten over his earlier enthusiasm and was now as ready to leave as Justin was.

"Hmmm.... maybe...." Chelsea said slowly. "Oooh! Look at that shoe display!" And she was off and running towards it like it was the Holy Grail.

"No, really, Chels. Nick and I are exhausted. Why don't we go and get something to eat?" Justin offered.

"Well, okay. Let's go to _Allegro's!" _Chelsea said clasping her hands together like it was her lifelong dream to go to _Allegro's. _

"Alright!" Justin agreed quickly, eager to get away from the happy couples and monochromatic colour scheme.

The hailed a taxi and Chelsea got in but Nick hung back.

"Sorry, dude." He said, "But I gotta do something fun before I kill myself."

Justin could say that dinner with Chelsea would be fun, but he knew that Nick would never believe him.

The young couple arrive at the Italian restaurant and see two familiar people by the front desk.

"Alex? Mason? What a coincidence!" Chelsea exclaimed happily.

They decided to get a table for four and when the hostess led them to the secluded booth Justin said to Alex, "It really is a coincidence that you're here....."

She blushed and picked at the loose thread on her sleeve and muttered, "Okay fine! Nick told me that he was with you all day and that you and Chelsea went to have dinner at Allegro's, so, conveniently, that's where me and Mason decided to go."

Justin grinned. He slid in beside Chelsea and Alex was beside Mason. Justin and Alex were both at the end. Chelsea and Mason got to talking about the wedding exhibition and Alex stopped paying attention. Justin saw her fiddling with her necklace. It was the present he had given her on her nineteenth birthday; it was a black necklace with a tiny red rose pendant on it. She was looking at the painting on the wall besides their booth and twirling her thumb around her necklace. Justin was so consumed in his sister, he didn't notice the waitress.

"Um, sir?" She asked obviously not for the first time.

"Sorry, er, what did you say?" He asked. He felt the heat rising in his cheeks and Chelsea's glare at the side of his head.

"What would you like to drink, sir?" The waitress asked again.

"Just water is fine." He replied.

Chelsea got wine and Mason and Alex each got a beer.

Their food came and the four adults chatted about little things like the weather and Harper's new fashion line. Alex still wasn't paying attention to anything. She was completely absorbed in the painting on the wall. Justin couldn't see what was so special about it; it was a canvas splashed with grey and black with miniscule dots of red, orange and yellow. She bit her lip and furrowed her brow, never taking her eyes off the piece of art. She blindly put a forkful of salad into her mouth and took a sip of her drink, all without looking at her meal. She licked her lips after taking her drink and Justin felt his stomach drop into his toes.

"Justin!" Chelsea said loudly and impatiently.

He jerked towards her accidently spilling his water on her. She shrieked with rage and shock and tried to jump away from the wetness but since it was a booth and she was against the wall, all she did was overturn the table, spilling everyone's dinner onto Mason and Alex. That brought Alex out of her reverie. By now, the whole restaurant was staring at the embarrassed party. Justin quickly threw some bills in the direction of the table and grabbed someone's hand (he wasn't sure whose) just to drag them out and leave faster. He was halfway down the block when he realized he was holding Alex's hand and that they had somehow lost Chelsea and Mason. He looked at his sister to see her covered in salad, various alcoholic beverages, pasta and a burger. She looked down at herself than back up at him. Suddenly, she burst out laughing.

"That was freakin' hilarious!" She cried, tears of laughter running down her face.

Her laughter was infectious and soon they were both clutching their sides and roaring with laughter. The people who passed them barely looked twice at the crazy people laughing in the middle of the street; it _was _New York, after all.

"Want to go get something else to eat? I barely ate anything there." Justin said. Alex nodded and wiped away her tears and caught her breath.

They walked into the always popular McDonald's restaurant. Justin ordered a McChicken Sandwich and half-heartedly told Alex to get something healthy, but she ignored him and got a Quarter Pounder with cheese. They sat at a table with their fast food and their soda and smiled at each other with their mouths full like two kids on their first date. Justin stole a fry from his sister's plate and asked, "Why were you staring at that painting in the restaurant?"

"Oh." She said, her cheeks turning a burned red colour, "It just reminded me of someone."

"Who?" Justin said.

"You."

"Me?" Justin asked, stunned, "How does it remind you of _me?"_

"Well....." She tilted her head thoughtfully for a second then continued, "When you first look at it, all you see is boring grey and black and that's like you because you're such a nerd, no offense, but when you look deeper, all this bits of red, and orange and yellow appear and you think – whoa! Where did that come from? And it reminded me of you because when you get to know you better, you're actually really..... cool."

They avoided each other's eyes for a few minutes. Alex was mortified from exposing so much of herself and Justin was rather touched that his sometimes cruel little sister viewed him that way. Alex could be really sweet sometimes.

After they had finished their greasy meal, they decided to take a walk around the city and see where they landed.

"So, you just walk around?" Justin asked. "With no destination at all?"

"Yup!" She smirked, "I used to do it all the time! You just walk, and when you see something interesting, you stop. It's fun!"

Justin highly doubted that but he went along with Alex's silly idea because she was _Alex _and he wanted to make her happy. He was getting slightly uncomfortable with the area of New York they were in, and when he told Alex they should leave, she just told to shut up. Suddenly, she stopped in front of a grungy looking building.

"This is it." She said staring up at it.

"No." Justin said firmly, "No _way." _

"Yes." Then she ran into the karaoke bar leaving Justin to chase her.

A woman maybe a few years older than Justin was doing a very bad Shania Twain impression. Justin could see Alex pushing her way through the crowd, up to the host then whispering something in his ear. Alex then turned around and pointed at Justin. He felt his face heat up and hurriedly mouthed 'No!' at Alex but she just smirked and the host nodded.

"Thank you Rachel! Next up we have Alex and Justin singing 'Our Kind of Love'! Let's give them a hand!" The host shouted into the microphone. Alex ran over and grabbed Justin's hand and dragged him on stage, the sound of applause in their ears.

Justin heard the country music start up. Usually this wasn't really his favourite style of music but this song did seem to have a good beat. The words flashed up on the screen.

"Here we go!" Justin sang. "You wear your smile like a summer sky just shining down on me and you I swear your heart is a free bird on a lazy Sunday afternoon."

Then Alex came in with "I love the way that you were up for anything never worried 'bout what people say that's right, oh that's right what we got is,"

Justin and Alex belted out the chorus together, "Just like driving on an open highway never knowing what we're gonna find just like two kids, baby, always trying to live it up whoa, yeah, that's our kind of love Mm that's our kind of love."

Justin found himself having a surprisingly good time singing with Alex, even though he knew his voice was never as strong as hers was. The audience was swaying and dancing to the beat and when the song ended, the greasy bar filled with cheers and whistles. Justin and Alex hung out there for a bit longer, getting drinks and cheering on the other singers. Justin reached out for his drink and his eyes flashed on his watch hours later.

"Alex!" He cried. "It's two am! We have to go now!"

She pouted and refused so Justin had to throw her over his shoulder and carry her out. She shrieked and screamed for a whole two blocks until Justin let her down. Thank God no one was out so late or it would've surely looked like Justin was kidnapping Alex.

"I wanted to stay!" She exclaimed.

"I know! But we haven't heard from Mason or Chelsea since dinner! We need to get back home!" He reprimanded her.

Her pout turned into a guilty look so they hurried back to Waverly Place.

As soon as they stepped through the door, Theresa started her lecture.

"WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU?! I WAS WORRIED _SICK! _DO YOU HEAR ME?! AND WHY ARE YOU COVERED IN FOOD?! IF YOU WERE KIDS, I'D GROUND YOU UNTIL THE DAY YOU'D DIE!" She screamed at them with tears in her eyes.

Justin felt immensely bad about scaring his mother so he apologized and promised never to do it again but she just waved his "I'm sorry''s away and stopped upstairs. Mason was sitting on a stool looking pale as snow and Chelsea gave Justin a death glare and ran to their room.

Justin pleaded with Chelsea to open the door but she just screamed at him like he smelled like cigarettes, beer, and woman's perfume. He eventually gave up and went back downstairs. He heard Mason and Alex talking, and he knew it was wrong, but he stopped and listened.

"I'm so sorry, Mason." Alex said quietly.

"I can't believe it. You're breaking up with me. I should've known, huh? I mean, it has been ten years. We were only sixteen when we first went out and it was only for like a month." He said equally as quiet.

"I did love you. Back Then."

This was so not a conversation Alex would've wanted Justin to hear, but he just couldn't tear himself away.

"But now you love him." Mason whispered.

Him? Who's him? Justin wondered.

"I do...." Alex was so quiet; Justin could hardly hear her from his post on the stairs.

"How?" Mason asked.

"I don't know. We just....... fit together. Like a puzzle. I can't really explain it...."

Justin started to get an ugly feeling in the pit of his stomach. Who was this guy that Alex was in love with? Was it someone she knew from Toronto? Justin hated that he felt jealous of someone he didn't even know.

"Well, thank you anyways, Alex. Thank you for being honest with me, and thank you for loving me once." The British man said then he walked out the front door and he was gone. Justin could hear Alex quietly crying in the kitchen. He was torn: should he go back upstairs and pretend he didn't hear anything or should he go downstairs and comfort his crying sister?

The next thing Justin knew, he was holding a sobbing Alex as she clutched to him like a life raft. Whoever the man was that Alex loved, Justin thought bitterly, he doesn't deserve her.

**A/N okay! The next chapter will be the last and then the epilogue just because i love epilogues, so thanx for sticking with me for so long, it really means a lot to me! R and R please! **


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N okay this is the very last chapter! *sob* its been fun and i have a few ideas for some new jalex so keep an eye open! Still don't own anything......**

Days past until it was the night before Justin and Chelsea's wedding. The bachelor and bachelorette parties were planned for that evening and both the ushers and the bridesmaids had planned each party. Chelsea, Lizzie, Alex and Harper went out and Nick, Max, Zeke and Justin were in a taxi. Justin wasn't sure what the girls were doing, or what he was doing for that matter, but he was sure it would be fun.

He was wrong. He thought with Zeke and Max on the party planning committee that Justin's bachelor party would be at the planetarium, but he was shocked with a strip club. This was so Nick's idea. Overly made up women came up to them and danced pretty much on them. Nick laughed with glee, Max wandered off somewhere and Zeke looked as petrified as Justin felt. Justin didn't want this! He went to the bar to get a drink.

"Isn't this awesome?" Nick screamed at him over the too loud music.

"Um, yeah!" Justin said with a weak smile.

Nick grinned and shouted, "You're welcome!" Then he danced off with a sleazy looking blonde.

Justin sat at the bar, frozen for an hour until a woman wearing a bikini and looked as old as his mother came up to him and said, "I can make all your fantasies come true."

Justin bit back a scream and bolted out of there. He didn't see any of his friends on his way out but didn't stop to find them. He got in the first taxi he saw and shouted for the driver to take him back to Waverly Place. He gave the money to the man then sprinted through the restaurant, up the stairs onto the terrace.

He stopped when he saw Alex sitting on a lawn chair, clutching something wrapped in a tarp.

"Wh-what are you doing here?" Justin panted and asked his sister.

"The bachelorette party got boring, so I left. What about you?" She said back to him.

"It – it was at a strip club and this woman who was as old as mom tried to come on to me!" He shuddered at the memory. She grimaced in sympathy.

"What's that?" He said pointing to the thing in her arms.

"What? Oh, nothing." She said. She placed it down gently beside her and turned the portable radio she had with up louder.

"That's my wedding song!" Justin cried.

"It is?" She glared at the radio.

"Um, yeah it is. But I, uh, don't really know how to dance to it..." He said sheepishly.

"It's not hard to dance to! It's a slow song! All you have to do is sway! Here, I'll show you." She stood up and pulled him closer to her.

One of his hands was on her waist and the other was holding her hand. She had her hand on his shoulder and another holding his. The music swelled around them and Justin tried to lead Alex across the terrace in a slow dance.

_There once was love thrown into your room  
But you never knew  
A calendar of days just for you  
But you never knew, never knew no  
And the truth that you'll find will always be  
The truth you hide_

"See, this isn't so hard." Alex said quietly.

_So how do you love, how do you love  
When your angels can't sing, and your world is still  
Lacking of me_

Justin twirled her around and dipped her. When her face came back to his, it had a quiet smile on it.

_There once were eyes that only saw you  
But you never knew  
A portrait of a flower in full bloom  
But you never knew, never knew no  
And the words that you fear will always be  
The words you hear_

Justin was deeply aware that he was holding his sister far too close to be modest but she was an amazing dancer and at that moment, all he wanted in the world was to be able to keep holding her like this for the rest of eternity.

_This space where you've been living  
Has gifts you've never given  
That's the face you always show  
Ask me for words of wisdom  
Tell me of your condition  
I don't know, I don't  
I don't know_

"You're actually a good dancer." Alex said huskily.

_And the truth that you'll find will always be  
The truth you hide_

The music slowed and the song ended. A commercial came on the radio for carpet detergent but neither Russo siblings were listening. Alex's face was tilted up towards Justin's and their lips were closing in, this time he wasn't going to fight it. His eyes fluttered shut and just when he was sure she was going to kiss him, she pulled away.

"No, Justin, we – we shouldn't." She whispered.

"Why not? Let's just pretend, for right now, that we aren't siblings and that I don't have a fiancé and that we're just people." Justin said to her. She shook her head and turned away.

"I can't do that Justin. I just can't." She shook her head again and Justin could see tears forming in her eyes, "Because tomorrow the game will be over and you will be getting married. I can't deal with that kind of rejection again. When I kissed you five years ago and you rejected me, I died. I really did. That's why I ran away. I-I'm in love with you, Justin. I am even though it's wrong and we're siblings and you're getting married, I love you. And I know if you loved me even half as much as I loved you, you wouldn't be getting married tomorrow, at least not to her. You just want me right now because you're nervous, like all new grooms are, but I've wanted you forever. Years, I'm not sure how many and if you just played pretend with me tonight then left me alone tomorrow, I-I don't know what I'd do."

Her tears over-flowed from her eyes and shook her small body. She covered her face with her hands and sobbed into them. Justin just stood there. He felt like crying himself. What Alex said was a lie. He was crazy in love with her, but just in denial until now. He grabbed her and hugged her tight. She struggled to be free but Justin wouldn't – couldn't – let her go.

"I love you, Alex." He murmured to her.

"You-you do?" She asked in shock.

"I do." He said truthfully. He had no idea when he started to love her, he always did. He could never think of her and Max the same way. It was always a different kind of love for her, and now he knew what kind.

She looked up into his eyes and smiled a smile so heart-breakingly beautiful that Justin couldn't help but smile back at her. She then let go of him and walked to the other end of the terrace. Justin felt her absence in arms harshly and seriously considered dragging her back to him. But she just held up the tarp covered object and pulled of its cover.

It was a painting. But not just a painting, it was a painting of the yellow chair on the terrace with the rainbow blanket on it all crumpled like someone was just laying in it. It was dark in the painting with a portable radio beside the chair and three white candles. Justin knew they were vanilla scented. The scene looked exactly the way it did all those years ago when Justin and Alex kissed for the first time.

"It's amazing!" Justin said breathlessly to her.

"You think so?" She asked shyly glancing down at it again.

"I love it." He said and stepped closer to her.

She took a step closer to him and they met in the middle. He cupped her heart shaped face in his hands and, this time, he kissed her. It was a crazy kiss. It had every emotion wrapped up in it; passion, hunger, love, anger, fear, denial and all the others. Alex wrapped her arms around Justin's shoulders and he ran his hands through her thick hair. Both were fighting for dominance in the kiss and soon Alex was underneath Justin on the yellow lawn chair. He felt her thin fingers unbuttoning his shirt and he slid his hand up hers. But when things were getting a little too revealing, Justin stopped and said, "Wait – we don't want to give a show to the neighbours do we?"

And he picked up his half naked sister and carried her into his room where they made love until it was nearly daylight. Afterwards, they just laid in each other's embrace, staring into each other's eyes, seeing into each other's soul. It felt like the most natural thing, being with Alex like that. Justin thought to himself as he played with a strand of her hair. It didn't seem sick or wrong, just the way things should be. But soon Justin knew he had to face reality and do something about Chelsea. He kissed Alex goodbye and went to Nick's apartment where he was supposed to be getting ready. He told them that the wedding was cancelled. They were confused but he just said that he would tell them everything later.

He knew that Chelsea would be getting ready at her sister's apartment so he went there to see her. Her parents let him in and he went upstairs to her room. She was gorgeous. Her honey coloured hair was swept up in a loose bun and her green eyes looked larger from the amount of mascara she had on. Her strapless dress hugged her slim frame and curvy chest and the sparkles on it glittered in the sunlight. But he didn't love her and in his mind, Alex singing in the bar, Alex covered in food, Alex playing at the beach, Alex in bed, Alex doing anything was hundred times more beautiful than Chelsea.

"What are you doing here?" She cried trying to shield her dress from his view.

"I need to talk to you." He said quietly.

But she didn't seem to be listening to him.

"Why aren't you dressed yet? You can't see me until I'm walking down the aisle! And have you seen Alex? She's a bridesmaid, and she's not here yet!" Chelsea frantically ran her hands over the gown and fiddled with her hair.

"Chelsea! We need to talk." He winced at the fearful expression on her face and the round 'O' her mouth had become. Lizzie snuck out the door, her poofy pink dress barely fitting through the door.

"I can't marry you." Justin told Chelsea. She squeezed her eyes shut and when she opened them again, they were wet with tears.

"You love her, don't you?" She asked quietly.

Justin knew who 'her' was. It was Alex. Just like When Mason said 'him' he meant Justin.

Justin didn't want Chelsea to cry, but he knew this was hurting her.

"Yes." He whispered. Had they really been that transparent in their love?

She nodded sadly, "I knew it. I knew it from the first time you said her name that you loved her. You said her name like she was the most special and beautiful thing you had ever seen. You never said my name like that."

"I'm so sorry." Justin did feel sorry; it was his fault that Chelsea's heart was breaking.

"I don't hate you. I just want you to be happy. And if she makes you happy, who am I to judge?" She wiped her eyes and accidently smudged her makeup.

"Thank you. One day you're going to find someone who makes you happy, I'm sorry I'm not him."

"And I'm sorry we have to return all those wedding gifts." She cracked a watery grin at him and he smiled back.

"You look beautiful, Chelsea, you really do." Justin told her as he walked out the door.

"Thank you." She whispered almost silently.

He was sorry that he had caused so much confusion and sadness, but he was ecstatic at his freedom. He quickly went back to Waverly Place and picked up Alex. He grabbed her hand and they walked along the streets in the morning sun, glad to be able to hold each other's hand in public and glad that their feelings had been returned.

"Where should we go?" Alex asked cheerfully.

"I don't know. Why don't we just walk and see where we go? It's fun!" Justin exclaimed happily. Alex laughed and everything was good again.

**A/N *sniffsniff* that was the very last chapter. Awww, im so sad! This is the link to cheleas wedding dress if you want to see it and the epilogue is still coming!**

**.**


	11. Epilogue

**A/N this is the epilogue. Just tells what happened after. I had so much fun writing this and i want to thank you all so much for reading it. I appreciate all your comments and i want to wish you luck with your own writing. And i still don't own WOWP. T_T **

Alex moved into Justin's apartment with him a week after his almost-wedding. They hung up her painting above the fireplace and roasted marshmallows underneath it as they were wrapped up in the rainbow blanket on cold nights. Alex started up an art gallery featuring new talent and daring pieces. As well as her own creations.

Justin kept his job at 'Think Big' and Nick continued to be as self-centered and as womanizing as he had always been. But he met a certain tutor that he just can't seem to keep away from....

Max is the new head of the practical magic department of Wiz Tech and is dating a pretty Italian wizard that he met on a class trip with the school. Theresa is seriously considering having breakfast sandwiches on the menu and she seems to be doing okay. She wasn't as lonely now since her and Archie were getting closer. Harper and Zeke got married in the science centre and Harper designed her wedding dress herself out of feathers, beach shells, fake snow and who knows what else. They are now pregnant with a little girl they plan to name Sadie Alexia Beakerman.

Surprisingly, Chelsea and Mason fell for each other and officially started dating about a year and a half after Chelsea and Justin broke up. They moved back to England together and The Russos haven't seen them since.

Alex and Justin are still going strong. The never actually 'came out' to their friends and family, but they think everyone's pretty much figured it out. It's obvious by the way they look at each other or the fact that they are always touching each other. Even if it's brushing their hands against each other's or leaning against the other one, they were always in contact. No one seemed to mind all that much, Theresa had a mini meltdown when she finally figured it out but she's okay now. Max and Harper said they've always known.

Their Friday nights were spent at the sleazy karaoke bar and Sundays saw walks around the park. Alex would watch cartoons on Saturday morning while Justin made the coffee. They got a little pug they named Ham because as soon as they brought him home, he ate a package of meat. Alex grew her hair out and learned to be fun and carefree again. She kept in touch with Erica and her other friends in Toronto but mostly that part of her life was closed now.

One August morning about two years later, Justin and Alex exchanged promise rings in the shade of the Central Park trees. It wasn't legal for them to really get married, but now everywhere they go people can see they belong to each other. Hammy, Justin and Alex made a happy little family together but they never had kids, they knew it wouldn't be safe. Every morning Justin wakes up to see Alex sleeping beside him and he thinks how lucky he is for having someone like her in his life. He always knew that they would grow old together; he just didn't think it would be like this.

Nothing has really changed between them; they still drive each other insane. But now instead of a quick hug to make things all better, it's a deep kiss. They go to areas of New York that they know their family doesn't go to, they aren't still hiding, but it's nice for them to be able to kiss in public without people freaking out that they're siblings. It's not very often that Justin thinks that he's kissing his sister, now she's just Alex and he's just Justin. Now they're just people in love.

**A/N *sniffsniff* *burst into tears* oh my god im going to miss this so much!!!!! In case you guys didn't get it, the tutor he couldn't keep away from was Tutor, Max's old tutor who was an elf. Lol just thought id put that in there. Anyways thanks for reading and commenting and good luck and maybe you'll see some more jalex from me soon! **


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